Quick-change rotary drill



Dec. 27, 1927.

B. GREGORY QUICK CHANGE ROTARY DRILL Filed Aug. 20, 1926 2; Sheets-Sheet 1 inventor 'jfizke Gregory Attorney Dec. 2?, 1927. 1,653,900

B. GREGORY QUICK cmmen ROTARY DRILL Filed Aug. 20. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented cc... 27, 132? IBIGE GREGORY, OF VERNON, TEXAS.

Q'UIGK-CHANGE ROTARY DRILL.

Application filed August 20, 1926. Serial No. 130,502.

My present invention has to do with rotary drills, and contemplates the provision of aquicl: change rotary drill-i. e. a drill having its parts so constructed and relatively arranged that after the bits fixed to the body have become dulled, an auxiliary bit may be pushed into working position, and this without entailing the necessity of withdrawing the drill from the hole.

To the attainment of the foregoing the invention consists in the improvement hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of specification:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the drill constituting the best practical embodiment of my invention of which I am cognizant.

Figure 2 is a diametrical section of the drill and showing one of the sections of the body in elevation.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the auxiliary bit positioned for use, the said auxiliary bit being shown in Figure 2 in outer position.

Figures 4 and 5 are horizontal sections taken on the planes indicated by the lines H and 5-5, respectively, of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective of one of the bits complementary to the body sections.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the views of the drawings.

The body of my novel drill is made up of two opposed sections 1, the opposed sides of which are chambered so as to form a chamber 2 and a chamber 3, Figures 2 and 3, the chamber 3 being increased in diameter downwardly for a purpose hereinafter described.

At 4 the body sections 1 are threaded for the connection of the usual tubular member 5 which serves to hold the upper end of the body sections 1 together.

Threaded at 6 in the upper end portions of the body sections 1 and extending upwardly into the tubular member 5 is a sleeve 7, the bore of which is merged at its upper end into a flared mouth 8, the said mouth 8 being designed to facilitate the passage of a steel ball 9 into the bore of the sleeve 7 when the said ball 9 is dropped downwardly through the tubular member 5.

The said sleeve 7 is superposed upon packing 10 carried in the upper end portion of the body sections 1.

F ixedly connected by bolts 11 to portions 12 of the body sections 1 are bits 13. The said bits 13 within the purview of my invention may be of the construct' on illustrated or of any other constructioncompatible with the purpose of my invention, and the same is true of the lower portions of the body sections 1 so far as the lower portions of said body sections 1 are shaped for the reception and connection of the bits 13.

Arranged and movable rectilinearly in a drametrical passage formed between the opposed body sections 1 is the auxiliary bit 14 of my improvement, the said passage being designated by 15, and the auxiliary bit 14 being arranged as shown in Figure 5 relative to the bit- 13. I would also have it understood at this point that within the purview of my invention the auxiliary bit 14 per se may be of the construction illustrated, or of any other construction compatible with its purpose.

It will be noted from Figures 2 and 3 that the bit 14 is provided at 16 with water passages, and that when the auxiliary bit 14 is positioned for use as shown in Figure 3, the said water passages 16 will register with water passages 17 formed in the body sections 1 and extending from water passages 18 in the side walls of the passage or guide way to the outer side of the body 8661310118 1.

Connected at 19 to the auxiliary bit 14 is a tube 20 which is toothed at 21 and has its bore 22 connected with the passages 16 and also has said bore 22 connected at 23 with the chamber 2.

The upper end of the tube 20 is adapted to constitute a seat for the steel ball 9 when said ball 9 is dropped down in the tubular member 5 and gravitates through the sleeve 7 through the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 2.

Movable vertically in the chamber 3 of the body sections 1 are dogs which are toothed at 31 and are yieldingly maintained in and returned to the positions shown in Figures 2 and 3 through the medium of a coiled spring 32 upon'which the dogs 30 are superposed as clearly brought out in Figures 2 and 3.

1n the practical use of my novel rotary drill, the drill is used with the parts positioned as shown in Figures 1 and 2 until the bits 13 become dull. When the bits 13 are impaired as stated it is the province of the operator to drop the steel ball valve 9 down through the tubular member or stem 5 of the drill, whereupon the said ball valve 9 will simply find its way through the mouth 8 and the bore of the sleeve 7 to the upper end of the tube 20 where the valve will seat as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2. In some cases, the water pressure from the pump employed forces the ball valve 9 downwardly through the sleeve 7 to the valve seat at the upper end of the tube 20. In the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 2, the ball valve will cut off the flow of water through the bore in the tube 20, and consequently the water pressure will operate to move the tube 20 and the auxiliary bit 14 downwardly until the passages 23 are positioned as shown in Figure 3 relative to the chamber 2. Manifestly, the tube 20 and the auxiliary bit 14 will be forced by water pressure to the positions shown in Figure 3 and the auxiliary bit 14 will by the dogs 30 be adequately held to its work. It will also be appreciated that at the same time the water supplied through the tubular member or stem 5 will pass through the chamber 2, the passages 23, the bore 22 in the tube 20, the passages 16 and the passages 17 to the outer side of the drill adjacent to the lower end thereof.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the auxiliary bit 14: of my novel drill is adapted to be put into commission while the drill is in the hole, the water pump being disenga ed and the Kelley joint being broken in order to drop ball 9, after which said parts are placed in position and the pump again forces the water down.

Notwithstanding the practical advantages ascribed to my novel rotary drill, it will be readily apparent from the foregoing that the drill is simple, compact and inexpensive, and is free of delicate arts such as are likely to get out of order aflzer a short period of use.

In the practical operation hereinbefore alluded to and incident to the downward movement of the tube 20, it will be understood that the dog 30 will be moved downwardly against the action of the spring 32, resulting in tensioning of the said spring 32 so that when the downward movement of the tube 20 ceases, the spring 32 will operate to return the dogs 30 to and yieldingly maintain the same ,in the positions shown in Figures 2 and 3. i

I have entered into a detailed description of the construction and relative arrangement of the parts embraced in the present and pre ferred embodiment of my invention in order to impart a full, clear, and exact understanding of the said embodiment. I do not desire, however, to be understood as limiting myself to the structure disclosed, my invention being defined by my appended claims within the scope of which structural changes or modifications may be made without departure from my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:-

1. In a drill and in combination a body equipped with cutting means, an auxiliary bit carried by and movable in the body from idle position to working position, yielding means for maintaining the auxiliary bit in idle position in the body, and means whereby when a valve is dropped into the body, fluid under pressure supplied to the body will be enabled to move the auxiliary bit to and maintain the same in working position; the said means for yieldingly retaining the auxiliary bit in idle position comprising a toothed tube connected to the auxiliary bit, and toothed dogs spring supported in the body and movable downwardly and outwardly in the body.

2. In a rotary drill and in combination, a body made up of opposed sections, said sections equipped at their upper ends for the connection of a tubular member or drill stem for the holding of the upper portion of the sections together, means for holding the lower sections of the body together, drill bits fixed to the sections, passages for fiuid in the sections, an auxiliary bit disposed diametrically and movable rectilinearly between the sections and having fluid passages, a sleeve secured in and extending upwardly from the body sections and having a flared mouth at its upper end, a tube connected to and extending upwardly from the auxiliary bit and having its bore in connection with the passages in the auxiliary bit and also having passages for connecting its bore with other passages in the body sections, a spring in and between the body sections, teeth on the said tube, and jaws superposed on said spring and yieldingly maintained in engagement with the teeth of the tube; the said tube adapted at its upper end to seat a ball valve dropped through the tubular member or valve stem and moved through the sleeve at the upper end of the body section.

3. In a drill, and in combination, a body equipped with cutting means, an auxiliary bit with a passage therein carried by and movable relative to said cutting means in the body from idle position to working position, means for yieldingly maintaining" the auxiliary bit initially in idle position in the body, and means w ere-by a valve dropped into the body will close said passage in the auxiliary bit so that fluid under pressure may be supplied to the body and enabled to move the auxiliary bit to and maintain the same in working position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

BIGE GREGORY. 

